Best Schools in Portsmouth

How many schools are there in Portsmouth?

Portsmouth has 54 open schools: 35 state primary, 10 state secondary or all-through, 2 independent, 5 special and 2 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Portsmouth are rated Outstanding?

5 schools in Portsmouth were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: UTC Portsmouth, Redwood Park Academy, Cliffdale Primary Academy, St Edmund's Catholic School and Mary Rose Academy. Counting Good as well, 90% of the 49 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

UTC PortsmouthRedwood Park AcademyCliffdale Primary AcademySt Edmund's Catholic SchoolMary Rose Academy

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Portsmouth get the best GCSE results?

Of the 10 schools in Portsmouth with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at St Edmund's Catholic School, with an Attainment 8 score of 56 and 64% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; UTC Portsmouth, with an Attainment 8 score of 48.8 and 50% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Springfield School, with an Attainment 8 score of 42.4 and 38% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

St Edmund's Catholic SchoolUTC PortsmouthSpringfield School

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Portsmouth have the best SATs results?

Of the 28 primary schools in Portsmouth with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary School (93% in reading, 87% in maths); St George's Beneficial Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School (74% in reading, 86% in maths); and Ark Ayrton Primary Academy (78% in reading, 81% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary SchoolSt George's Beneficial Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary SchoolArk Ayrton Primary Academy

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Portsmouth?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Portsmouth selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

How close do you need to live to get into schools in Portsmouth?

It depends on the school, and the cut-off moves every year with the number of applications. Portsmouth published how far the last place offered went at these schools: Admiral Lord Nelson School, 1.068 miles for 2026 entry; Mayfield School, 1.127 miles for 2026 entry; St Edmund's Catholic School, 0.51 miles for 2026 entry; Trafalgar School, 2.019 miles for 2025 entry. These are the authority's own figures, not fixed boundaries.

Admiral Lord Nelson SchoolMayfield SchoolSt Edmund's Catholic SchoolTrafalgar School

Source: Portsmouth admissions booklets

How do I apply for a school place in Portsmouth?

Apply to Portsmouth through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts. Independent schools run their own admissions, so apply to those directly.